


Moose Philosophy 101

by thinkinghardhardlythinking



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:48:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28619067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkinghardhardlythinking/pseuds/thinkinghardhardlythinking
Summary: The reader meets a tall handsome hunter and wonders if she should listen to the rumours she’s heard about him or to the man himself.
Relationships: Sam Winchester & You, Sam Winchester/Reader, Sam Winchester/You
Kudos: 22





	Moose Philosophy 101

You were dropping some prescription scripts into the pharmacy when you saw him. The receptionist had said she would do it and it was kind of her job but you hadn’t really made any friends since you’d moved to Lebanon, certainly not anyone at the Doctor’s office, and your lunch hour seemed to drag on. You’d figured you could use the break to walk the block and a half and get some air.

You’d already handed the bundle of scripts to the pharmacist when your eyes had landed on the tall guy in the burnt orange jacket. Or did you call that colour ‘rust’? In any case, he was clearly hurt. Something with his shoulder you figured from the hunch of his back and the constriction in his movement. You watched as he scanned the shelves for antiseptic wash and…was that dental floss? 

He made his way to the counter, politely giving you a tight smile as you made fleeting eye contact, before putting his purchases down on the counter.

“Hey.” You said, as he paid for his goods.

He looked slightly taken aback by you talking to him. “Hi.” He said, looking slightly awkward.

He was handsome. He probably thought you were hitting on him. Which you weren’t. Of course. That would be unprofessional.

“Um…I’m a doctor. I work at the doctor’s office down the street. I could look at that shoulder for you. If you want. Free of charge.”

He looked at you slightly confused. His face drew itself into the expression of a slightly confused puppy dog. 

“Oh. Thanks. But I’m fine. Thank you…for the offer though.” He smiled again, slightly warmer this time, and turned to leave the pharmacy. You watched as he winced as he opened the door.

“Are you sure? It looks like it hurts. And I have some time to kill. It might be better than just washing it out with Bactine and sewing it up with…unwaxed dental floss?”

“What? I wasn’t…” He laughed as if the idea was crazy and you’d jumped to an errant conclusion but your raised eyebrow stared him down. 

“It’s OK.” You said, smiling at the gentlemanly gesture as he held the door open, clearly in great pain, and let you go through the door first before following you out onto the street. “I’m not judging…but also…free Doctor’s consult…” You said in a sing song voice, watching as the pain of opening the door still showed on his face. He looked at you as if weighing your offer up and then he huffed before a resigned, but grateful, smile settled on his lips.

“Fine. Yes. Thank You.” He said, before stepping back and motioning for you to lead the way.

“So…” He said, as you walked. “…you often just hang out at the drugstore waiting for injured people to fix up for free?”

You looked at him, he was smiling. It wasn’t unprofessional of you to notice that he was cute, really cute, you thought. It would only be unprofessional if you acted on it. Which, you reminded yourself, you were not going to do. You smiled back.

“Sure. It’s how I get my kicks. Some people like sports. Or online gambling. This is just…less likely to end in me spraining my ankle or ending up destitute, y’know?”

He laughed. He really was handsome. And tall.

Only if you act on it, you told yourself again.

“No. I just….I’m new here and if you don’t know anyone at work to talk to, your lunch hour can really drag. It takes, what, like ten minutes to eat a salad or a sandwich? And that’s if you really take your time. Plus my 2 o’clock cancelled anyway. So, I have time. You have what seems like a shoulder injury and an, um, unorthodox approach to first aid? I figured some good could come from my total lack of connection to my colleagues. It’s not a regular habit. Promise.” You said, opening the door for him and motioning for him to go ahead. 

Dana, the receptionist eyed you suspiciously as you made your way past her, her eyes widening with curiosity and positive appraisal as she looked at your companion. He must get that a lot, you thought.

“Not to be forward…but why don’t you take your shirt off and show me what happened….” You said, once you entered the empty consulting room, the empty pause asking for him to fill it with his name.

“Sam.” He said, smiling at you, bashfully…and, you noticed, kind of adorably.

“Y/N.” You said back.

You turned away and busied yourself with some forms and instruments so you weren’t just watching him take his jacket and shirt off and when you turned around you forced yourself not to dwell on his naked torso or how toned and chiselled and golden it was.

“So…you’re new to town?” He asked as you made your way behind him, purposefully ignoring the muscular broadness of his back as you examined the bloody gash that stretched across his right shoulder blade.

“Yep. Well…sort of. I got here about six weeks ago.”

“From?”

“New York.”

“Oh…that’s…different.” He said, before sucking in a deep breath as you poked the muscle around the wound.

“Sorry….um, yeah…’different’. That’s one word for it. It’s a bit of a ‘Northern Exposure’ situation. Well, the first part. Before he makes friends.”

“What?”

“Sorry. That’s a weird and obscure reference, right? So…there’s this show that was big in the 90’s. Called ‘Northern Exposure’. My mom used to love it and she had it on DVD when I was younger so I’ve seen it loads of times. This New York doctor ends up in this small town in Alaska and it’s a whole culture shock, fish out of water thing…this is a deep wound. I’m going to wash it out. It might sting a little.”

“Sure.”

You got the sterile wash and swabs ready and tried to get him to keep talking so he’d have something to focus on whilst you irrigated the wound.

“Um…but in the show he makes friends in the small weird town and ends up loving it. Not sure that’s how this is going to go. The locals aren’t exactly friendly. How about you? How long have you been here?”

“A while. But I can’t say that they’ve exactly welcomed us with open arms either.”

Ah, ‘us’. Of course. Of course he had a wife or significant other. Not that it mattered.

“Me and my brother, I mean.” He added.

“Oh. Right.” You said, reminding yourself that his marital status was irrelevant. 

“So…why Lebanon? You didn’t want to stay in the big city?” He said, being impressively stoic as the wash clearly stung the deep open wound.

“I needed a change. I applied for a whole load of postings. This was the first one that wanted me. I kind of needed to get away from New York. As far as possible, as quick as possible.”

“Bad break up?” He asked, surprising you with his perception and the kind sympathy so clear in his voice.

“Something like that.” You said as you wiped as gently as you could against the congealed blood that had formed around the open lesion. “So…your brother a hunter too?” You asked, feeling him shift under your hands at the question.

“What? A hunt…I…I…don’t know what you mean.” He said unconvincingly, stammering through his obvious lie.

“You were going to sew yourself up with dental floss. It doesn’t seem like a wound like this particularly phases you. It also looks like it was done by a werewolf. Who clearly didn’t take your heart so I imagine you killed it before it could. Plus…” You said eyeing the plain t shirt and plaid shirt he’d been wearing over his jeans. “…you’re wearing pretty much the hunter’s uniform. And I saw a fake FBI badge in your wallet when you were paying at the drug store. So…yeah…I think maybe you do.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“I’m going to sew this up now, OK, Sam? With actual FDA approved medical grade sutures. And I’m sure you don’t need me to but I’m going to numb the area first too. If that’s alright with you?”

“Um. Yeah. Sure. Thank you.” He said, sounding a little wrong footed as you went to get the anaesthetic and suturing equipment.

“So…you know about hunters, huh?” He said, as you got the supplies together.

“Yep.” You said, noticing how he didn’t let himself flinch as you injected the anaesthetic slowly into the infraspinatus muscle in his back. 

“How come?”

“My dad. My brothers. My ex.” You said, matter of factly. “It was sort of why I got into this, medicine, I mean. I’ve been sewing people up for as long as I can remember. I’m just going to give this a minute to start to work.”

“Sure. But you didn’t want to be a hunter yourself?”

“Nope. It never appealed to me. I think it’s noble and all. I just wanted to help the hunters…not kill the monsters. But I also wanted to have a legitimate career. I hated how my brothers always had to hide what they did from friends and stuff. It always felt…lonely. So I became a ‘proper’ Doctor. But…I mean, I guess that’s why I wanted to help you out when I saw you in the pharmacy….it was a werewolf, right?”

“Yeah.” He said, sounding a little impressed. “And your mom?”

“Not a hunter. A teacher. My Dad saved her from a poltergeist in her building when she was 22. And they fell in love. And the rest, as they say, is history. Your brother?”

“Yeah. He’s a hunter too. Damn good one.”

“I’m sure.” You tested the area. “Can you feel this?”

“No.” He said and you started to sew the torn flesh gently back together.

“So…if you don’t know anyone in town…what do you do? When you’re not working, I mean.”

“Um…well, I read. And there’s always Netflix. I brought my mom’s old ‘Northern Exposure’ DVD’s and I’ve been rewatching them. Just to make sure my cultural references are bang up to date, y’know?’

He laughed. “It sounds lonely.”

“Yeah. It is.” You said, realising how true a statement it was.

“Have you explored the town at all?” He asked.

“Um, a little.”

“Have you eaten at the Italian place? A few blocks down?’

“Oh…yeah. Great pizza. Great lasagne. So-so chicken parm.”

He huffed out a little laugh. “Well, if you want some company…maybe we could go sometime.”

“What? Together?”

He laughed a little louder this time. “Yeah. That’s….what I meant. You’ve been so kind with sewing me up and stuff. It seems like that’s the least I could do.”

“Oh…I mean, that’s OK. You don’t have to….I wouldn’t want you to feel you had to make it up to me or anything. I mean, I practically frog marched you here. And I know I’ve been going on about how lonely I am…world’s smallest violin, right? But you don’t have to…it’s really kind but….”

He laughed as you stammered. You pulled the last suture tight and knotted it before cutting the filament.

He turned slightly to face you, an amused smile on his face. “It’s not kindness. I’m not that charitable. And it’s not obligation. It’s just…pizza. Maybe lasagna. Probably not chicken parm.”

“Thank you. It sounds great but I probably shouldn’t go for dinner with a patient. It feels a bit…unprofessional.”

He stood up. He really was tall. He reached for his T shirt and started getting dressed.

“I’m not a patient. I didn’t sign anything. And I didn’t pay. So…”

You went to get him some pain meds, using the brief moment facing away from him as you went through the stacked medication in the cupboard in the corner of the room to try and compose yourself. He made a valid point.

“So…here are some pain meds. I’m sure you know how they work. And you can come in to get those removed in a week to 14 days.” You took a piece of the doctor’s office stationery and wrote your number on it. “You can call the number on here, to make an appointment. I mean…I guess you could also get your brother to just remove them but…try and be sterile and sanitary…I wouldn’t want you getting an infection. And feel free to call if you have any problems with the wound or whatever.”

Great, you thought, infection and wound talk with the most handsome man you’d ever met. Sexy.

He smiled at you as you jabbered, clearly amused by your flustered lack of cool.

“And yeah, OK. Dinner might be nice. If you want. Though you don’t hav-”

“I’ll message you to sort out a plan.” He said, waving the piece of paper with your number on it at you. 

You nodded. And stopped talking.

“Thanks Y/N. For everything.” He said, smiling at you warmly.

“You’re welcome, Sam.” You said, trying to keep your eyes from drifting downwards and settling on his rear as he turned to leave.

You had never, in all your professional life, been so affected by a good looking patient. And there had been a few, though admittedly, not as good looking as Sam. You were always professional and you took your role as someone in the healing profession seriously. You weren’t necessarily proud of the effect he’d had on you but you tried not to dwell on it. He was the first person who’d been friendly to you since you’d moved here, and that, you thought, was a ‘win’ regardless of how handsome he was.

You were so excited about making a friend in town that you even mentioned it when you FaceTimed your parents later that evening.

“A hunter? In Lebanon? What was his name?” You dad asked.

“Sam. I didn’t get his last name.”

“Winchester. Sam Winchester is his name.”

“Oh. You know him?” You asked, surprised at the recognition but remembering how the hunter connections worked.

“No. But I’ve heard things. Bad things.”

“What?”

“It’s nice that you made a friend, honey, but you should give him and his brother a wide berth.”

“What are you talking about? He seemed nice.”

“Well, you thought Kyle seemed nice but we all know how that ended.” Your dad said, making you bristle at the mention of your ex.

“You liked Kyle…at first.”

“Yeah…and I was wrong. But this guy? I’ve heard things, Y/N. He nearly brought about the apocalypse…and there was talk of him and the devil. The actual devil, Lucifer. And stuff about demon blood.”

“What?”

“I mean it, Y/N. The guy’s bad news.” Your dad said.

“We just worry about you, sweetheart.” Your mom added, using her most soothing mom voice to smooth things over. “If your dad says be careful…then maybe you should be careful.”

You thought about what your father had said most of the night. Sam had seemed like a nice guy. Kind. Sweet.

But you’d thought that about Kyle too and he had ended up being controlling and dismissive and also just kind of an asshole.

Plus there was a chance you’d been blinded by his good looks and just grateful to finally find someone in town that actually seemed friendly. Though the stuff your dad had said…it seemed crazy. Werewolves and vampires were one thing. But the apocalypse? The devil? 

You weren’t one to blindly follow your parents directions but after Kyle, you didn’t exactly trust your own judgement on men either. It was fine, you reasoned. He probably wouldn’t be in touch anyway and all your second guessing would be for nothing.

You settled down to watch an episode of ‘Northern Exposure’ before bed, finding the connection to your childhood and the opening music comforting. 

You were five minutes in when your phone ‘dinged’ out its text message notification.

>> Guess who found old episodes of that show online? It seems kind of cool. I like the moose wandering around in the opening credits. Thanks for stitching me up today. Are you free Friday night for dinner? Sam x

You paused the DVD while you stared at the message. Friday night? That was usually a date night, right? Or was that wrong? It’d been a while since you’d been asked on a date. You weren’t sure you knew ‘the rules’ anymore.

You felt torn. Part of you was excited, date or not, at the idea of going for dinner with someone, especially a very handsome someone. The other part was worried. Maybe he really was bad news and you’d do better to stay away. 

You looked around your small, lonely apartment, unsure how many more nights you could take staring at its four walls. It was just dinner. Just one dinner. You picked up your phone.

>> Yeah, the moose is one of my favourite parts of the show! And you’re welcome. My social calendar is currently pitifully open. Friday works x

It was only a couple of minutes until your phone dinged again.

>> I don’t know why I’m telling you this because it doesn’t make me look good but I used to have the nickname ‘Moose’ for a while. I guess I figure if you like the moose in the show it might stand me in good stead? Meet you at the restaurant at 8? Xx

>> Moose? Because you are big and tall and lumbering? That wasn’t my first impression of you, just what I’m gathering from the nickname. See you there at 8 x

>> What was your first impression of me? Xx

You looked at your phone, aware of the smile on your face. Was he flirting with you? The beautifully handsome giant man was flirting with you. 

>> That if someone didn’t offer to help you out your injury would be minty fresh but prone to infection. And yours, of me? Xx

>> Who is this woman smiling at me in the drug store? She’s really pretty. If I didn’t have an open, painful gash across my shoulder to distract me maybe I’d try and flirt with her a little. In my own big, tall lumbering way, that is Xx

>> Moose flirting? I’d like to see that x

>> 8 o’ clock on Friday….maybe you will x

It was days until Friday and they passed agonisingly slowly. You second guessed going many times, wondering if you should just call and cancel, but you didn’t and in the end you’d had to admit, you were really looking forward to it.

You’d tried to tell yourself that it was purely the idea of having some company that was making you so excited but as Sam had messaged a few times in the week, it was hard to ignore the crush that had started to form. Each unexpected chime of your phone, bringing a smile and a flurry of butterflies to your stomach. It had been a long time since you’d felt that.

>> So, I’m kind of getting into this show. It’s actually really good! Xx

>> You sound surprised? Did you think I’d steer you wrong? How’s the shoulder? X

>> I’d just never heard of it before. I’ll know better than to ever doubt you again! It’s fine, thanks. Feels good as new x

>> Awesome! You’ll be moosing around again in no time! X

>> ‘Moosing around’? I knew I should never have told you about that! Xx

>> Too late now! X

>> What do you imagine ‘moosing around’ involves? Xx

>> I have no idea. Never spent time with a Moose Man before. Maybe I’ll see on Friday? X

>> I usually save my moose moves for at least the third date…but maybe I could be convinced to make an exception x

That had made you smile. 

>> Don’t worry, I don’t have anyone to tell so no one will think you’re a moose slut…x

>> I can honestly say that no one has ever called me that before! Xx

And then again the next night.

>> So, I was watching your show and I wasn’t expecting to be moved by a random bit of dialogue but….”There’s a dark side to each and every human soul. We wish we were Obi Wan Kenobi and for the most part we are but there’s a little Darth Vader in all of us. Thing is, this ain’t no either/or proposition. We’re talking about Dialectics. The good and the bad merging into us. You can run but you can’t hide. My experience? Face the darkness. Stare it down. Own it. As Brother Nietzsche said, being human is a complicated gig so give that ol’ dark night of the soul a hug. Howl the eternal ‘yes’.” FUCK THAT’S GOOD! Xx

You had smiled when you read his message. That was your favourite quote from the show too. The thing that had turned it from a show your mom watched to your very own comfort watch. It also reassured you after all the stuff your dad had said, you doubted a ‘bad guy’ would resonate so hard with such a philosophical quote. Though you, of course, were no expert.

>> That’s my favourite quote from the whole show. I’m glad you like it too. I get it though…you tune in for light hearted moose based Alaskan charm and get blind sided by dialectical philosophy…x

>> I love it. Philosophical debate over dinner tomorrow? Xx

>> I usually save my philosophical debate until at least the third date…but maybe I could be convinced to make an exception…just don’t tell people I’m a philosophical slut, OK? x

>> Not touching that line with a ten foot pole…x PS. I’ll still respect you over Metaphysical Discourse in the morning…x

Wait, you had thought, was he making random schools of philosophical thought…sexy?

It was at that point that you realised that this was dangerous.

He was maybe the most attractive man you’d ever seen, and as if that wasn’t bad enough he was also funny and smart and sexy to boot. You were in way, way over your head with this one.

Finally Friday night rolled around and the butterflies in your stomach would not be wrangled into anything resembling submission. You were deliberately a few minutes late and were glad he was already there, knowing if you’d have gotten there first you would have been terrified he was going to stand you up until the minute you actually saw him.

It was cute, the way he stood up when he saw you and pulled your seat out for you, and ‘helped’ you get seated, in that old timey gentlemanly gesture you’d seen before but had very little experience of.

“Thanks.” You said as he walked back over to his side of the table and sat down. He looked at you as if he was a little wrong footed. “What’s up?” You asked.

“I just realised that I was just trying to do a ‘date’ thing…but maybe it’s…not cool.”

“Well, that depends…did you pull out my chair because it was an admittedly old fashioned but ultimately sweet and chivalrous gesture…or because you think I’m a woman and need a guy to do stuff for me because I can’t do it myself?”

His eyes widened and his smile wavered at the possible misinterpretation of his actions. “The first one. Definitely the first one.”

You laughed. He was even cuter when he was nervous. Scratch that, he was insanely cute and it was adorable that he was nervous. 

“Well then I think we’re all good.”

He looked relieved. “Maybe we should start over?”

“I think we started fine….plus, I’m not going out and coming back in again.”

He laughed. “Fair enough.” He looked at you and tilted his head, narrowing one eye as he smiled at you. “But also…I hope I didn’t miss my opportunity to tell you that you look really nice tonight?”

“I think the window for such things is still open. Just for a few more minutes though.”

“Phew!” He said, play acting over enthusiastic relief. “Because you do. You look really nice tonight.”

“Thanks. You too.”

And he did. He was wearing a white button down shirt over jeans and it was simple but man, it worked. When the waitress brought over the menus you watched as he read, his long chestnut hair falling forward slightly as he looked down. His shoulders looked broad in his shirt and his forearms were distracting as the thick muscles flexed as he turned the pages of the menu under the unbuttoned sleeves that he’d pushed up.

You ordered drinks and appetizers and he looked slightly more relaxed as he took the first sip of his beer.

“How’s the shoulder?” You asked, pleased to have noticed from his movements that it seemed to be healing well.

“Yeah, good. Better. Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And thank you for the TV recommendation too. Seriously, that quote…” He did a ‘mind blown’ gesture.

You smiled as you took a sip of your drink. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“Liked it?” He shook his head. “I loved it.”

“Yeah? Did it speak to your Obi Wan and your Darth Vader?”

He smiled at you. “Perhaps.”

You looked at him, unsure whether to push. “It’s weird. You seem like you’re a lot more ‘Jedi’ than ‘Dark Side’.”

“Well….wasn’t that the point of the quote? That they both exist in all of us.”

You nodded your head and gave him a ‘touché’ look. “Sam…can I be honest with you?”

“Of course.” He said, suddenly looking serious.

“I mentioned that I’d met a hunter, here in Lebanon, to my Dad and he…seemed to know who you were. He said some stuff…”

He looked uncomfortable, sitting forward in his seat as he took a deep breath. “What kind of stuff?”

“I didn’t ask for details. And I’m not saying I believe the hunter network…but some words were thrown in the mix…..words like…’Lucifer’ and ‘apocalypse’ and ‘demon blood’?”

He looked down at the table cloth looking way past uncomfortable now.

“I’m not saying this to be difficult or awkward. I just….you seem kind of awesome. I wanted to be honest. I wanted you to know you could be honest too….I heard what I heard and I still wanted to come and see you tonight. You don’t have to explain anything or tell me anything you don’t want to. But also…I’m not here to blame or judge or get at you…I like you and I don’t want to play weird games. So…you know what I’ve heard. You know I’m here anyway. That’s all I wanted to say.”

You wondered for a moment if it had been a mistake to tell him but even as you said it, you realised it was a test. Even though you hadn’t wanted it to be, hadn’t meant to make it one, you were, on some level gauging his reaction. He seemed too good to be true and you wanted to see if he was.

“If that’s what you heard, why would you come anyway?” He asked, seeming genuinely interested.

“Because you seem like Obi Wan. What I heard paints you as Darth Vader. I’m guessing the truth is somewhere in between. I’d like to find out…but from you. Not from a bunch of hearsay that’s been passed on via a game of ‘Telephone’ across random Hunter’s bars.”

He looked at you for a moment. “OK…but there’s a lot of stuff there.”

“I figured.”

“I guess we’re gonna be heading into philosophy a lot deeper than I had originally planned.”

“Sounds like possibly theology too.” You added.

He laughed and you were pleased. He wasn’t angry or defensive, maybe slightly caught off guard but if it had been a test, he wasn’t failing it.

“And it doesn’t have to be tonight. Tonight can just be….well…it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date…not sure I remember how these go.” You said, embarrassed to admit it.

“Me neither.”

“What?”

“I don’t really go on dates much. Could you not tell from the super smooth ‘do I pull out her chair or does that make me look like a dick’ opener?”

“I just…I find that hard to believe, that’s all. And you didn’t…look like a dick, I mean.”

He looked pleased that you thought that.

“And I mean, I’m pretty sure it’s not great first date behaviour to ask the guy if he started the apocalypse within the first ten minutes, so….maybe the whole night is doomed. If neither of us knows how to do this…I’m not really sure how tonight’s going to go.”

He laughed lightly. “Well…we have philosophy and moose based humour? Surely we can’t go too far wrong?”

“I mean as long as there are no sexual puns based on the work of Kant…maybe we’ll be OK.”

He choked, slightly, on his drink. “I’ll try and stick to Wittgenstein.” He said, when he’d recovered.

You laughed at his comeback. “You’re smart.”

He looked slightly uncomfortable again. Shy as he shrugged.

“And modest.” You added. “And handsome.”

He looked away, slightly embarrassed before looking back with renewed resolve. 

“And you’re smart too. A doctor who makes philosophical puns, no less. And kind…helping me out when I was just stumbling about in a drug store…”

“Like a moose?”

He smiled, raising his eyebrows as if to say ‘you got me there’. “Yeah. Maybe. And funny. That last comment wasn’t a great example of that but still…”

You feigned offence while he laughed.

“…and honest. Up front. Say what’s on your mind.”

“Yeah….some people don’t like that.”

“I’m not ‘some people’.”

“I’m getting that.” 

“And beautiful….really beautiful.”

Now it was your turn to look away, embarrassed by his compliments.

“Listen…” He said, leaning forward in his seat. You looked into his eyes. They were beautiful. Like hazel sunshine. “I’m glad you told me…what you heard. And I’m happy to tell you…anything you want to know. But also…I can tell you what happened and I can lay out all my history, my past…I can tell you the things I’ve done that I regret and the things I’ve done that I don’t, explain extenuating circumstances and take responsibility for my choices…the ones that I’m proud of and the ones…that I’m ashamed of…I can do all that. And I will. I could sit here and tell you all kinds of things but we’ve only just met and the thing is, you won’t know whether to believe me…in fact…it would be weird if you did, we’re grown ups…we both know what people can be like…that they can lie…edit the past, edit the truth…I don’t want to do that with you and I won’t…but I also know that talk is cheap and trust is earned and it doesn’t get earned in a day…so, I promise I’ll be honest. And I promise I’ll tell you anything. Everything….I just know it’s gonna take some time for you to see what’s Obi Wan and what’s Vader. But I’ve got the time if you do.”

“Yeah?”

He nodded.

“OK. Let’s leave Dialectics aside for a minute. Forget Obi Wan. Forget Darth Vader. How about you tell me some stuff about Sam…I don’t care what it is…as long as it’s true…”

“OK….” He said, looking for a second like he was thinking. “Well…I was born in Lawrence, Kansas. My parents were John and Mary Winchester…unfortunately they’ve passed now…but…” He paused and regrouped before continuing. “My brother is called Dean and he’s great…not as funny as he thinks he is but still. I was Pre-Law at Stanford but I ended up going into the family business, hunting and I don’t regret it, I like helping people…Um, what else?….I like dogs and podcasts and ‘True Crime’ and books and running….and people who are kind…and honest…and smart…” He raised his shoulders in a shrug. “…guess it doesn’t hurt if they’re good looking doctors too….” He laughed a little. “Is that enough, for now?” He asked.

You smiled at him. Handsome, funny, smart and charming…definitely dangerous. But also…he seemed honest and kind and sweet. And he was right. You’d had enough of men who told you they were ‘good’, you liked that he knew you’d have to find out for yourself, that he knew that was the kind of thing that was shown by actions and deeds over time. That he was offering honesty, knowing that you had to know the man behind the words, not just hear the words themselves.

“Sure. That’s enough…for now…but it’s good. I have time.”

“Yeah?”

“For you…yeah…maybe I got a little time.”

He looked pleased, the warm smile on his face deepened, revealing the cutest of dimples.

As the waiter made his way over with your appetizers on a tray, you settled back in your chair and smiled back at him. There would be a time for all the questions about all the deep stuff and all the dark stuff, but now? Now was a first date…with a very cute guy…and as you lifted your fork to tuck into your plate you couldn’t help but grin at him.

“So…’moose moves’, huh?” You said, watching as he laughed, both of you relieved to be back to the flirtatious levity of your messages from earlier that week. 

Wasn’t that part of the quote you both loved too? That there was good and bad, dark and light, all of the nuance and shades of gray, all the simplicity and complexity - that that in itself was ‘people’; how people were. 

That’s what you’d always found moving about the quote. The truth of it.

People were complicated and it took time and understanding to really see them before you could decide whether or not to accept them. It didn’t matter who they told you they were and it couldn’t be figured out in one quick conversation. The real question was whether you wanted to take the time, run the risk and take a chance to see who they really were, knowing there was as much chance you’d be disappointed as there was that you’d be pleasantly surprised.

And as you watched him try and make moose related jokes for the sake of good first date banter, you thought with this guy, maybe, it was worth taking the time to find out.


End file.
